Yesteryear: Looking back at stories that captured headlines in the Record

1993: The Yorkville High School Wrestling Foxes captured the Class A state team title. It was the first state wrestling title since 1976. (Shaw Media file photo)

Compiled by Jeff Farren from the files of the Kendall County Record.

March 2018

Yorkville High School students walked out of school March 14 as part of a coordinated event with school officials. The walkout occurred the same day as a national walkout event to honor the 14 students and three staff members killed in Parkland, Fla. shootings Feb. 14.

March 2013

Residents living near Hoover Forest Preserve on Fox Road west of Yorkville reported seeing a large animal, possibly a cougar in their back yard.

March 2008

Census figures show Kendall County was the fastest growing county in the United States, based on data from 2000 to 2007.

March 2003

Ground was broken for a new intermediate school on Route 126, south of Circle Center School in Yorkville.

March 1998

A feature story by Sid Simmons outlined the principles of the new computer sensation, the internet. Private access is still in its infancy, according to the story. It also answered the question, “What is E mail?”

March 1993

The Yorkville Wrestling Foxes are the Class A state team champions. First state mat crown since 1976.

March 1988

A new bridge over the Blackberry Creek on Route 34 just west of Game Farm Road opened this week.

March 1983

Petitions asking the Yorkville School Board to refrain from spending any further money to develop the Game Farm property were presented to the board at their meeting Monday.

The Kendall County Food Pantry opened in the lower level of the Kendall County Farm Bureau in downtown Yorkville.

March 1978

Workers have completed installation of a tower atop the Kendall County Courthouse annex for a siren to be used by the Kendall County Emergency Services and Disaster Agency (ESDA).

March 1973

The Hornsby’s Family Center opened in Countryside Center at the northwest corner of Route 47 and Route 34. The Yorkville store is the largest store in the shopping center and the largest in the 24-store Hornsby’s chain.

March 1968

Yorkville voters approved a new Unit District for schools in the area. The move will combine the Yorkville Grade and High School boards, and also take in the Bristol Grade School District and the Plattville Grade School District. Vote was 419 yes and 120 no.

March 1963

Our one-way street is one-way no more. The City Council heard a petition signed by a number of local people and acting on their request rescinded the ordinance making East Hydraulic Avenue between Bridge and Heustis one-way. So it is again two-way and we suppose that parking near the post office will be haphazard and hazardous again.

March 1958

The Kendall County Board of Supervisors is formulating plans to enlarge the present courthouse building. Two wings will be built, one on the west and one on the east side.

March 1953

The Seward Memorial Altar will be dedicated at the Plattville Methodist Church. The altar was purchased with funds received from the Seward Congregational Church. The church was destroyed by fire on Nov 30, 1947.

March 1948

The Yorkville Fish Hatchery a couple blocks west of the bridge on the Fox River took it on the chin when the Blackberry Creek went on a rampage. The entire west bank was washed away, leaving just the cement work standing. We don’t know if the state will repair the damage or not. If they happen to send up a repair crew there is a nice job for them up at the river dam, too. The river dam has deteriorated steadily and in a few more years it will be but a series of rapids.

March 1943

Mayor Lafayette K. Devereaux died suddenly at his home. He was 55.

March 1938

The Board of Education of Yorkville schools has decided that the schools should be closed for a period of one week until the epidemic of scarlet fever, which has become prevalent in the community, has subsided.

March 1933

Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Beecher attended the inauguration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Beechers had letters of introduction from U. S. Senator Dietrich and were admitted to places in the capitol not accessible to the casual visitor.

March 1928

Governor Small is running for reelection, with his Road Program “Building for the Ages” that will include Route 47. The Record noted that he will have to build the highway soon, as the current road is getting worn out by campaigning engineers.

March 1923

It has been said about town that the Yorkville Public Library, operated by the Yorkville Woman’s Club, will be forced to seek new quarters because of a raise in the rental fee of the reading room in which they are now located. The reading room is the property of the Yorkville WCTU and the ladies have asked for an increase which is said to make the rental prohibitive.

March 1918

Kendall County continues to keep its good record as a county with few criminals. The Grand Jury met Monday and did not have enough work to keep them busy the whole day.

March 1913

Spring storms hit and wreaked havoc. The telephone company reported 93 poles down between Yorkville and Oswego, 80 in the two and a half miles Yorkville to Fox. It is hoped that the month will go out like a lamb.

March 1908

On Sunday the home of a local resident was entered while the family was at church, and the guilty parties left an easy chair, to remind the Deacon that he was 69 years-old.

March 1903

Misses Maude Weaver and Blanche Moore now have charge of the Yorkville telephone exchange during the day and Miss Laura Manley operates the boards at night.

March 1898

Postmaster Crimmin took 4200 cents up to Aurora to trade off at the banks or wherever he could get rid of a few dollars worth. You would have though he had a fortune from Klondyke to see him lugging some 35 pounds of copper in a grip. One of the banks took all the pennies at par.

March 1893

The old paper mill looks desolate, dark and dingy and its whistle no longer calls from labor to refreshment.

March 1888

The semi-centennial of the Lisbon Congregational Church was held. The Church was formed in 1838 in the house of Rev. Calvin Bushnell in what was then LaSalle County. Of the original 28 members only two remain in the neighborhood, Lewis Sherrill and John Moore.

March 1883

The river rose rapidly on Friday and a field of ice above the bridge moved down and took the wooden supports from under the north span. This stopped all traffic by teams, but foot passengers could still get over as usual. Squire Dolph has fixed up the old thing so it will hold its own weight. Don’t know what we would do without Mr. Dolph, he always knows how to handle the bridges and is always willing to do his best to aid in keeping the highway open.

March 1878

We think the hens are darn fools. Why don’t they hold up for awhile. Can’t they see that the bottom has gone out of the egg market? Six cents a dozen don’t pay.

March 1873

A car load of 14 bulls was shipped from Yorkville Monday night. They will be used in Chicago for bologna sausages. One weighed over 2200 lbs. (The bull, not the sausage.)

March 1868

Every spring people along the banks of the Fox River look for a grand display of the powers of ice and water on bridges, dams and embankments and they are seldom disappointed in witnessing a scene that nature alone can enact. This year is no exception. Post’s bridge across the river opposite Plano was carried away piers and all. Any firm in want of fragments can go to the mouth of the Fox River and be ready to receive a promiscuous cargo of lumber, parts of wagons and a little of all kinds of lumber, as a large stock was seen going downstream.